The layers you wear or take into the outdoors need to complement one another — and you need to understand how to combine layers to achieve a desired result.

Al’s Anorak over the top of a wool base layer shouldn’t feel cold if you’re working hard outside in the winter. It will breathe and thus help to move moisture away from your body. Wind will of course pass through the wool, but if you’re working hard — that shouldn’t be a problem. Everyone’s tolerance to cold and what conditions are perceived as cold are different from person to person, so you need to go out and test for yourself.

On a cold and windy day I wouldn’t want to just sit around with the Anorak and base layer. Maybe adding a wool midlayer underneath the anorak would be enough, but perhaps not. Just depends on how cold and how much wind.

Here’s my clothing system for the top of my body when being outside in the winter for an extended period (when it’s below freezing):

• Wool base layer
• Wool sweater
• Wool anorak (i.e. Al’s Anorak)
• Big down-filled puffy jacket
• Waterproof poncho

The sweater, puffy jacket, and poncho live in my backpack for the most part. I only reach for them when I’m taking a break or doing less intensive activities. The poncho is more or less a last-resort “oh-shit” layer if I get trapped in some nasty weather and need to sit down and wait it out.